President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has said that some of the drones put to use by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Air Corps were provided as free aid from the Turkish government.
He made the announcement during a ceremony in Noonu Maafaru on Friday night while the government has so far refused to disclose any information about the agreement made to purchase the drones.
Muizzu said the discussions on purchasing drones began during his official visit to Turkey after assuming office. He thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his assistance in the endeavor.
"Less than two weeks after the people decided to hand over the responsibility to me, he [Erdogan] invited me to visit the country and welcomed me warmly. The reason this became a reality today is the attention he gave to this," Muizzu said.
Although only three drones have been put to use now, Muizzu said more will be operational in the future. This would also be facilitated by his close relationship with Erdogan, he added.
He then revealed that some drones were received free of charge.
“And I am proud to note that many of these equipment have been donated free of charge to the country because of the close relations,” Muizzu stated.
However, the President did not disclose which equipment was provided free or the value of the donation by the Turkish government.
Regarding the drone purchase agreement, Adhadhu had previously reported, citing credible sources, that the deal was worth USD 37 million (MVR 570 million).
When Adhadhu first reported that an agreement had been signed to purchase drones from Turkey, the Defence Ministry said modern platforms are being acquired to strengthen defense capabilities.
However, the government never announced the purchase of the drones. Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry declined to provide details when Adhadhu requested information under the Right to Information Act.
